Refocused School Nurse Role: Early Adopter Evaluation Summary

This document describes an evaluation of the refocused school nurse role in Scotland, specifically within early adopter sites in Dumfries and Galloway and Perth and Kinross. The policy aimed to improve health outcomes for students by delivering care based on the principles of Getting It Right for Every Child (GIRFEC) and focusing on nine priority areas such as mental health and substance misuse. The evaluation, funded by the Scottish Government and conducted by a team led by Dr. Deborah Wason, used a realist framework combining qualitative and quantitative methods. Results indicated variations in referral patterns, with more girls referred and a higher proportion of secondary students in Dumfries and Galloway. Key themes identified included program implementation, referral processes, and role clarity. The evaluation concluded that while the refocused role had benefits, such as more standardized care and improved inter-agency relationships, challenges remained in mental health case management and role definition within the wider health team. Recommendations included targeted training for school nurses, clearer referral procedures, and a dedicated immunization team. The document also acknowledges the need for further outcome studies and consistent data gathering if the program is implemented nationally. **This summary was written by an AI model and therefore should not be considered a definitive summary of the report. If you are aware of inaccuracies, please email evaluation.registry@cabinetoffice.gov.uk.**

Description

• Lead department: The Scottish Government (The Scottish Government)
• Evaluation stage: A complete evaluation report
• Other departments: No other departments listed
• Evaluation types: Impact evaluation; Process evaluation
• Impact methods: Theory-based methods
• Theory-based methods: Realist evaluation
• Process methods: Focus groups or group interviews; Individual interviews; Other
• Grant information: This intervention is not distributing funding via a grant
• Government Major Project information: This intervention is not a major project
• Policies: No policies provided

Event Dates

• Event Name: Publication of final results
• Event date: July 2017

Evaluation Costs

• Cost: Not provided

Evaluation sharing

• Link(s) to published report(s): Yes
• Links to evaluation plans: No link provided
• Findings: Not provided
• Permission to share confirmed: Yes